Ezekiel 11:23
“Yahweh’s glory went up from the middle of the city, and stood on the mountain which is on the east side of the city.”
What does Ezekiel 11:23 mean?
Ezekiel watched as God's visible presence, which had dwelled in Jerusalem's temple, lifted away and moved to the Mount of Olives to the east. This wasn't arbitrary movement—it signaled that God was departing from the city because of the people's unfaithfulness, allowing the Babylonians to destroy what remained. Yet the prophet could still see God going, which meant God wasn't abandoning his people entirely, just making a profound statement about their choices and his judgment. For those in exile who would receive Ezekiel's message, this vision offered strange comfort: their God was real and active, not trapped in rubble, and his departure proved he had agency in what was happening to them.